Cost of Living Comparison Between Ben Arous and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ben Arous and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $700 per month in Ben Arous vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,113 per month in Ben Arous vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,525 per month in Ben Arous vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Ben Arous is about 58% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ben Arous sits 49% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.47 TND 15.85

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-31.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.21 TND 58.6

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-57.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 TND 15.02

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-47.62%

Cappuccino

$1.15 TND 3.34

$3.13 COP 9,767

-63.26%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 TND 1.82

$1.91 COP 5,954

-67.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 TND 0.75

$1.51 COP 4,712

-82.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 TND 5.07

$3.12 COP 9,747

-43.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 TND 5.98

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-64.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.52 TND 1.50

$1.44 COP 4,509

-63.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.10 TND 0.29

$2.49 COP 7,759

-95.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 TND 5.11

$1.77 COP 5,535

-0.56%

Eggs

$1.47 TND 4.26

$2.96 COP 9,235

-50.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 TND 31.01

$10.07 COP 31.4K

6.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.14 TND 17.82

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-39.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.17 TND 46.90

$14.30 COP 44.6K

13.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 TND 4.92

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-58.94%

Banana (1kg)

$4.67 TND 13.56

$1.61 COP 5,019

190.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 TND 2.87

$2.25 COP 7,007

-56.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 TND 2.10

$2.25 COP 7,028

-68.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 TND 2.05

$2.04 COP 6,375

-65.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 TND 1.96

$1.54 COP 4,790

-55.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 TND 1.43

$1.17 COP 3,651

-58.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 TND 0.96

$1.31 COP 4,077

-74.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.66 TND 10.62

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-6.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.96 TND 20.18

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-50.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 TND 2.77

$1.74 COP 5,439

-44.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 TND 3.52

$2.87 COP 8,956

-57.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 TND 1.06

$1.22 COP 3,792

-70.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.53 TND 39.25

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-83.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.30 TND 0.86

$1.31 COP 4,084

-77.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 TND 0.97

$2.19 COP 6,825

-84.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 TND 5.26

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-79.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 TND 2.56

$1.37 COP 4,260

-35.77%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$40.6K TND 117.6K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

45.70%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.5K TND 68.3K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-34.18%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$55.9 TND 162

$177 COP 553.2K

-68.49%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$10.43 TND 30.27

$13.88 COP 43.3K

-24.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.74 TND 60.2

$29.72 COP 92.8K

-30.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.68 TND 97.7

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-24.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.05 TND 49.46

$17.12 COP 53.4K

-0.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 TND 14.79

$6.65 COP 20.7K

-23.31%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$63.4 TND 184

$813 COP 2.5M

-92.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,979 TND 5,741

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-78.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.55 TND 138

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-46.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.5 TND 190

$59.0 COP 184.0K

11.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 TND 258

$138 COP 431.2K

-35.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.99 TND 136

$102 COP 318.7K

-53.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$218 TND 634

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-79.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 TND 456

$663 COP 2.1M

-76.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 TND 1,108

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-79.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 TND 804

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-73.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$950 TND 2,754

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-77.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$419 TND 1,215

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-74.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$255 TND 740

$678 COP 2.1M

-62.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.28

10.94

-6.03%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ben Arous: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $218 in Ben Arous versus $1,062 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 166% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Ben Arous versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $305 – making Ben Arous the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ben Arous vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $700 in Ben Arous, $1,681 in Medellin – roughly 140% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,050 per month in Ben Arous and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ben Arous, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Ben Arous and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $700 in Ben Arous and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ben Arous, where all-in costs run around $700, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Ben Arous it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $700 in Ben Arous to $1,681 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ben Arous. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.